AF leaders cite Airmen as bedrock in new core mission document

  • Published


WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- The Air Force released a new document explaining how the service provides airpower for America – titled “Global Vigilance, Global Reach, Global Power for America.

The paper follows the January release of the Air Force’s Vision, “World’s Greatest Air Force – Powered by Airmen, Fueled By Innovation,” which focuses on Airmen.

Building upon the vision, this paper explores the Air Force’s five enduring core missions -- air and space superiority; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; rapid global mobility; global strike; and command and control -- and explains how innovative Airmen bring them together to provide Global Vigilance, Global Reach and Global Power for America.

“You’re the foundation of our success,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III. “We will remain the world’s greatest Air Force because you’ll make sure we do, and that when challenges arise you’ll figure out smarter and better ways to get the job done… you always have and I know you always will.”

Welsh introduces the document and emphasizes that the core missions of the Air Force have not changed since 1947, but what has changed is how the Air Force performs these missions.

“We now fly faster, farther, and higher than ever before using aircraft and spacecraft that no one could have imagined at the time of our Service’s creation,” he said.

But the effectiveness of these core missions comes directly from the power of Airmen.

“You do them better than anybody in the history of warfare,” Welsh said. “Thank you for who you are, thank you for what you do, and thank you for how well you do it.”

Welsh ends his message with a call to Airmen to find themselves in the text, “This document is intended to tell you about what your Air Force does, but more importantly it’s “intended to let you see where you fit in it -- an incredibly critical role that you play.”

To find out more about the document and how to tell your story, check out: http://www.af.mil/airpower4america.